Butyraldehyde composition



Patented Rig. E5, 1925.

1,550,8t3li UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BOGIN, OF TERRE HAU'TE, INDIANA, ASSICNOR TO COMMERCIAL SOLVENTS CORPORATION, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, A COBPO'RATION OF MARYLAND.

BUTYRALDEHYDE COMPOSITION.

No Drawing. Application filed December 15, 1924. Serial No. 756,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Boom, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Terre Haute, county of Vigo, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Butyraldehyde Composition, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new composition consisting of butyraldehyde in admixture with small quantities of other substances, and relates more specifically to a method of preparing a stable form of normal butyraldehyde.

Normal butyraldehyde is a colorless liquid which boils at 7 374 C. under atmospheric pressure. It has a specific gravity of 0.817 and is soluble in water to the extent of about four per cent. Normal butyraldehyde has a characteristic suiiocating odor, and it is further characterized by a lack of chemical stability.

Normal butyraldehyde is employed in various chemical processes and as an ingredient in rubber compositions. In the past, difficulty has arisen in industrially utilizing normal butyraldehyde on account of its chemical instability. The material is easily oxidized to but ic acid when in contact with the atmosp ere, and decomposes spontaneously to some extent, even in the absence of air.

I have discovered that the oxidation of normal butyraldehyde caused by contact with the atmosphere or by spontaneous decomposition, is practically inhibited by certain substances which may be described as anti-oxygen catalysts.

Hydroquinone; resorcinol pyrogallol and the halogens-iodine, chlorine and bromine; are substances which, when dissolved in small quantities in normal butyraldehyde, inhibit the oxidation of the aldehyde and inay thus be classed as anti-oxygen cataysts These substances when present in minute quantities, as for example .01 per cent, exert a powerful stabilizing action on normal butyraldehyde and greatly improve the keeping qualities of the material. When as much as .25 per cent of an anti-oxygen catalyst is present, oxidation of normal butyraldehyde is inhibited even under the most rigorous conditions. 1 I have'discovered iodine to be the most effective anti-oxygen catalyst for improvement with normal butyraldehyde.

For example, .25 per cent of iodine present in normal butyraldehyde efiectively prevents the oxidation of the latter substance under the most severe conditions of laboratory testing as is indicated by the following example.

Ewample.

300 cubic centimeters of commercial normal butyraldehyde (containing about one and one-half per cent of butyric acid) was placed in a 500 c. 0. round bottom glass flask and air, at five pounds pressure, was bubbled with an orifice one-fourth inch in diameter, for thirty hours. At the end ofthis period the butyraldehyde was found to contain 25.3 per cent butyric acid. Under similar conditions, a sample of normal butyraldehyde containing .25 per cent of iodine increased in acidity to 3.6 per cent.

Under ordinary conditions of atmospheric exposure, .01 per cent of iodine in normal butyraldehyde will substantially prevent the tendency of the latter substance to oxidize and will thus prevent an increase in acidity 70 into the butyraldehyde through a glass tube I lysts necessary do not, in any way, interfere 2. A composition of matter comprising 10 with the employment of normal butyraldenormal butyraldehyde and a halogen.

hyde in industrial chemical operations or as 3. A composition of matter comprising an ingredient in rubber compositions. normal butyraldehyde and iodine.

Now, having fully described my invention, A COIIIPOSIEIOI} of matter compl'lsl ng I claim the following as new and novel; 11911113,]. butyraldehyde and .01%.25% Of 10- 15 1. A composition of matter comprising dlne- A normal butyraldehyde containing .01 %-.25%

of an anti-oxygen catalyst.

CHARLES BOGIN. 

